Car-door.



E. EMMBRT.

GAR DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.26, 1912.

Patented May 12, 1914.

2 SHEETS-BHEET 1.

INVENTOR ,E jl grnm WITNESSES E. EMMERT.

CAR DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.Z6, 1912.

1 ,O96,'700. Patented May 12, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

c OOOOOOOO LANOG IIIIIIIII WAMIMO UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL EMMERT, OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN.

GAR-DOOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL EMMnn'r, a citizen of the United States of America, resid- .ing at Superior. in the county of Douglas and State of Wisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car- Doors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to car doors of the type especially adapted for use on grain cars. \Vhile of this special relation and adaptation however, a door of my invention is capable of use in other situations, such for instance as on cattle cars, coal cars and so forth. So also it may be used in connection with grain bins in any case where it is desirable to open the bin into a chute from the side of the bin or any other advantageous point.

The door of my invention is built of a plurality of vertical sections, preferably as shown in the embodiment which I shall describe herein in four vertical sections or panels. A less number may be used if desired, but of the usual width of car doors now employed four sections are suitable.

I am aware that car doors for grain and cattle cars have heretofore been made in a plurality of vertical sections hinged or otherwise secured to each other, but the door of my invention is constructed and arranged differently with respect to the several sections, their securement to the door frame, and the means of fastening the whole together and closed.

The differences between the car door of my invention and the car doors of prior inventions will be readily apparent upon an understanding of the embodiment of my invention disclosed in the accompanying drawings. Preliminarily it may be said that the door of my invention has been constructed with a special regard to durability and efficiency of operation under those extremely severe conditions found in a g 'ain car service in which the very high and irregular pressure of the grain upon the door and the very rough handling of employees have been factors rendering the use of prior doors of this type most unsatisfactory.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 is a front out side elevation of the car door; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the door taken near the top; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 26, 1912.

Patented May 12, 1914. Serial No. 727,928.

same taken on .line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Figs. 1 and 5 are transverse sections showing the door in several open positions; and Fig. 6 is a detail of a socket forming a part of the fastening means.

The two outer panels 10 10 of the door are hinged to the insides 11 of the uprights 12 of the door frame, the pivots of the hinges being positioned back from the inner edge of the uprights whereby the bodies of the outer sections bear respectively against the insides of the uprights 12 and the outer sections are prevented from swinging freely outwardly as respects the car. At the same time these outer sections may swing inwardly freely to a position parallel with the inner wall of the car (see Figs. 4 and 5). Additionally there is secured to the sill of the door in front of each of the outer sections 10 10 a sill stop strip 13 co-extensive with the width of the corresponding section and bracing .its bottom against outward movement. The entire door is made of plates of sheet iron of substantial thickness, and the members 13 in conjunction with the inner faces of the uprights 12 form an important part of the bracing system of the door by which the high pressures of the grain are prevented from distorting them or opening cracks at the hinged joints. Of course any other desired material may be employed without departing from the broad scope of my invention, but the form of the sheet metal structure is an important part of my invention.

The two inner sections 14; 1 1' are hinged respectively to the two outer sections for movement outwardly of the car as respects the body of the car and the outer sections. To this end the hinges 15 by which they are attached are placed on the outside of the joints 16. While the outer sections 10 10 remain stationary as shown in Fig. 4: the two inner sections 14 1 1 may be swung open and back substantially against the outer sections and the uprights 12 12 of the door frame. To permit this movement, the stop strips 13 13 are cut away on their inner ends as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5. They may be held back by any suitable securing means.

011 the inside of each section 14 14 is secured an overlapping joint strip 17 positioned adjacent the hinged joint 16 and adapted to overlap the same on the inside when the door is closed as shown in Fig. 2,

whereby pressure of the grain within the car keeps the overlapping strips 17 firmly against the hinged joint and prevents the escape of grain should there be an opening of substantial size therein. Also the seam strips 17 form a part of th-ebracing system on the doors. On the outside of one of the inner sections as 14:, there is provided a third seam strip 18 adapted to overlap the joint between the two inner sections 14 1 1 when the doors are closed.

The bracing system for the door in addition to the afore-mentioned elements includes strengthening angle iron ribs 19 secured one to each outer section 10, to-

gether with a transverse fastening bar and its connections which cooperate with the angle irons and the afore-mentioned bracing means to complete the bracing system and render it most effective and permanent. The angleiron ribs 19 are secured to the sections 10 10 parallel to the hinged joints 16, closely adjacent thereto and substantially coextensive therewith, running substantially the entire distance between the upper and lower hinges 15. These angle irons might of course be secured to the. inner sections 14; 1 1, but since the inner seam strips 17 are secured to and brace the outer edges of the inner sections, I prefer to secure the angle ribs 19 to the adjacent edges of the outer sections 10 10; The ribs 19 may be extended if desired through the short remaining distance to the top and bottom of the door, but the thickness of the metal which I employ is normally such as not to need the additional bracing for this very short distancetop and bottom.

The fastening bar 20 is pivoted on a bolt 21 passing through both the seam strip 18 on the inner door 1 1 and the body of the section, the pivot being located a substantial distance below the top of the door and ap proximately quarter way between the top of the door and the bottom whereby as will be seen its bracing action is equalized. Theoretically the bar 20 should be pivoted approximately one-third of the length of the door from the top and I consider it within thescope and a part of my invention to so pivot this bar. The bar is spaced from the sections of the doorby means of an abutment 22 on the bolt 21, the bolt being secured in place by a nut which draws abutment 22 up against the seam strip 18. Any suitable means of swiveling this oar 20 may be used in lieu of the one shown. a

The outer ends of the bar 20 engage respectively in upwardly opening and downwardly opening malleable iron sockets 23 and 23 and when the door isclosed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it may be swung on its pivot bolt 21 into the sockets to fasten .the door and out of it when it is desired to open the door, the said bar in the latter casebeing given a vertical position. The bar is prevented from being swung clockwise by an overhanging chock 24 secured to the face of the inner section 14: opposite the section 14 to which the bar is pivoted and also by the sockets 23, 23. This chock when thebar is in its sockets overlaps the upper iiange of the bar. As shown the bar is a commercial T bar although it may be of other shape. Also when in its sockets, the bar is held therein by means of latch 25 in the right hand socket 23 (see Fig. 6), the inner end of which latch engages over the main'rib of l the bar. The latch 25 is pivoted to the outer side wall of the socket 28 and projects through a slot 26 therein, being held in its engaging position by the action of gravity on the extended thumb piece 27 by which it may be lifted to disengage the bar 20.

There is ordinarily sufficient lost motion be- 7 tween the point of the latch 25 and the end of the bar 20 which it overlaps, to admit free movement of the latch, and in cases where the end of the bar has risen against the point'of the latch, a single blow on the bar will suffice to move it a sufficient distance to free the latch. The proportions of the parts aresuch that the inner or top face of the T bar 20 engages the upper ends of each of the strengthening angle ribs 19 (see Fig. 2), and in such engagement braces the door not only through its pivot and at its 7 middle, but also at intermediate points adjacent the hinged joints.

By referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the chock 24c clasps the T bar close to the door irrespective of such lost motion as there may be in the pivot of the bar and the bar through its rigidity supports firmly each individual section of the door and through the seam strips and the associated ribs 19 eX- tends the support both downwardly and upwardly of the sections. Secured t0 the bottom of the section 14 carrying the bar 20 is a foot bolt 28 engaging in a socket 29 of metal accurately bored and positioned. The belt is secured in place by two angle pieces 30 the upper one of which has a bore of smaller diameter than the lower thereby bearing against the shoulder 31 and preventing the bolt from being detached. The upper end of the bolt is turned at right angles and is adapted to be lifted over and held up by the outer hooked end of rivet The foot bolt is secured by rivets passing through both the central seam strip 18 and the body of the section 1%. a

hen in use the door is operated as follows: Assuming it to have been closed and the car to have been filled with grain up to a point near the top of the door, the outer sections 10 10- lap the insides of the up- 1L'ights12 and are pressed thereto by the 17 and 18 close the openings at the hinged joints and the rabbets 13 close all openings at the under edges of the outer sections. Also as the car is filled, the bracing system comes into play through the abutment of the outer sections against the insides of the uprights 12, through the rabbets 13, through the seam strips 17 and 18 in combination with the outside and opposite angle ribs 19, through the transverse fastening bar a substantial distance below the top of the door, the check 24: which prevents its clockwise motion and eliminates its 10st motion, and the ribs 19 engaged by the bar, and through the foot bolt 28 secured not simply to the body of the door 14 but to the seam strip 18 which may itself be provided with a strengthening rib l9,-to produce an effective bracing of the entire structure whereby distortion even under the heaviest pressures is altogether avoided. Through the location of the bar 20 approximately between onefourth and one-third the waydown from the top of the door the pressures above and below the bar are equalized. lVhen it is desired to open the door, it is only necessary to lift the latch 25 and release the bar 20 which may be then moved anticlockwise to a vertical position, to lift the bolt 30 and catch it over the hook 232 and thereafter swing the inner sections of the door outwardly to the positions shown in Fig. 4. The doors opening with the pressure of the grain, there is no opposition to movement, nor is there lateral sliding movement, nor is there jamming of the doors due to the presence of the grain in the hinged joints. The hinges are outside and the joints are closed by seam strips on the inside. The sections are of such Width that they fall back substantially against the uprights 12 and entirely out of the way should the car be moved without shutting the doors. then folded back in the position of Fig. 4, the cut away portions of the rabbets 13, and the ribs 19, act as stops and braces for the door against which it may be secured by any suitable fastening means and thereby braced in open position. As soon as the grain escapes through the doorway or into the chutes or other receiving means, the pressure of the outer sections is relieved, and they are not distorted in any way. Furthermore as soon as the inner sections are opened the lower edges rest on the sill of the car, enabling them to act as braces for the outer sections 10 10. When the car is emptied, the sections of the door may be moved inwardly in halves as shown in Fig. 5 and secured by latches 33 or other suitable means flat against or parallel with the inner walls of the car whereby the car may be loaded with freight other than grain without inconvenience or Without limitation as to size other than that imposed by the width of the door frame. In such position the sections of the door are altogether out of the way. When it is desired to again load the car with grain, the doors have only to be closed in the now well understood manner, the foot bolt 98 and the bar 20 being respectively moved into place in their sockets, the bar being held in position by latch 25 and the head of the foot bolt 28 being turned beneath the hook 32 which prevents its be ing lifted out without turning. During the use of the door, the usual sliding car door may also be used, the door of my invention constituting then an inner door. None of its parts project upon the outside of the door frame, hence do not interfere in any way with the sliding door of the car, which of course extends all the way from the top to the bottom of the car, while the door of my invention preferably does not extend to the top of the car, cars being loaded with grain to a height of four or five feet only.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i 1. A car door comprising four vertically arranged sections of substantially equal width, the two outer ones of which are hinged to the uprights of the door frame at the inner face thereof for inward movement only from, the plane of the inner face of the uprights, while the two inner sections abut each other and are hinged respectively to the two outer sections for outward movement with respect thereto, together with means engaging the foot of each outer section beyond the uprights of the door frame and bracing the same against outward move ment from the plane of the inner face of said frame, whereby said inner sections may be moved outwardly and substantially against the uprights of the door frame and do not project substantially from the side of the car.

2. A car door comprising inner and outer sections, the enter one of which is secured to an uprighton the door frame, and the inner one of which hinged to the outer and adapted to open outwardly, a strengthening rib on one of said sections, together with fastening means adapted to hold said door closed from the outside, said fastening means comprising a bar engaging in sockets on the opposite uprights of the door and bearing upon said strengthening rib, where by the entire portion of said section strengthened by said rib is braced against said bar and whereby said bar may be removed while there is load pressure upon the door without substantial friction.

3. A car door comprising inner and outer sections, the outer one of which is hinged to one of the uprights of the door frame, and the inner one of which hinged to the outer and adapted to open outwardly, an inner overlap from one section upon the other, and a bracing rib on the exterior of the other section substantially coextensive with said overlap, whereby said strengthening rib braces both of said sections against internal pressure, together with fastening means for said door engaging said rib.

4. A car door comprising four sections of substantially equal width, the two outer ones of which are connected to the uprights of the door frame, and the two inner ones of which are hinged to'the two outer ones and adapted to open outwardly, an outer fas tening bar pivoted to the inner edge of one of said inner sections and adapted to swing into and out of sockets on the opposite uprights of the frame together with vertically extended ribs of relatively small cross section connected with some of said sections and engaged by said bar, whereby said sections are individually braced by the bar and whereby said bar may be turned about its pivot without substantial friction.

5. A car door for grain cars comprising four vertically arranged sections of substan which are hinged respectively to the two outer sections for outward movement with I respect thereto, a sill stop bracing each outer section at its inner edge against outward movement, strengthening ribs adjacent the hinge joints between the sections and eX- tending substantially the full length thereof and to points adjacent said sill stops. a sill stop for the inner sections adjacent their abutting edges, and a transverse fastening bar engaged in sockets on the opposite uprights intermediate the top and bottom of said door and bearing against the inner sections substantially at their abutting edges and against said strengthening ribs adjacent the hinge joints between the outer and inner sections.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EMIL EMMERT. Witnesses r CLAUDE Z. Loss, M. E. DUCEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, 1). C. 

